Which golf ball should I play in Thailand?

Of all the variables that determine a golf ball’s performance compression may be the most mysterious. You’ll know it as a number on the ball, usually 90 or 100. If you see slow motion videos of balls impacting the club face you’ll see it as the ball deforming or “mushing”. The ball launches as this compression releases.

Generally, professional advice says the faster you swing the less compression you need but there are way more issues to consider namely spin speed generated, feel, control, etc but let’s leave that to Phil Mickelson.

By and large, for Thailand, you can play with a ball with less compression and avoid the 100 models. This is because generally the greens are softer so the ball stops more easily, which means less spin is required. We amateurs like less spin because that means less deviation in the shot trajectory. Another issue is the air is “thicker” and a firmer ball will penetrate the moisture laden air more effectively.

As I’m blogging I expect a thousand replies about why a Srixon Z-Star SL suits someone better than a Taylor Made Burner and they’d be right because a lot of it is how the ball feels for you and what works. Nevertheless, science says my premise is sound. Actually, my best advice is to use the “water balls” you can buy at great prices near to the entrances of many gold clubs in Thailand then when it inevitably revisits the lake where it was plucked from you won’t mind so much.